Authentication method for information apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an authentication method for an information apparatus. The method includes receiving a first password, generated based on the system time of the information apparatus, from an external device connected to the information apparatus, generating a second password based on the time at which the first password was received, and determining whether the firs and second passwords coincide with each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An authentication method of an information apparatus, comprising:
 receiving, by the information apparatus, a first password from an external device connected to the information apparatus, 
 wherein the first password is generated by the external device using a first system time received from the information apparatus; 
 generating, by the information apparatus, a second password using a second system time of the information apparatus when the first password was received; and 
 determining, by the information apparatus, whether the first and second passwords coincide with each other, 
 wherein the first and second system times used to generate the first and second passwords are in a format comprising a day, an hour and a minute. 
 
     
     
       2. The authentication method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 if the two passwords coincide with each other, initializing the information apparatus. 
 
     
     
       3. The authentication method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein unique information of the information apparatus is additionally used when the first and second passwords are generated. 
     
     
       4. The authentication method as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the unique information is any one of a Media Access Control (MAC) address or a product serial number of the information apparatus. 
     
     
       5. The authentication method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the external device is connected to the information apparatus via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection or an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 connection. 
     
     
       6. The authentication method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second passwords are generated using a Message Digest 5 (MD5) password generation algorithm. 
     
     
       7. The authentication method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the information apparatus is any one of a Digital Video Recorder (DVR), a data recording device, and a set-top box. 
     
     
       8. An authentication system, comprising:
 a first apparatus configured to
 generate a first password using a first system time received from a second apparatus and 
 transmit the first password to the second apparatus; and 
 
 the second apparatus configured to
 receive the first password from the first apparatus, 
 generate a second password using a second system time of the second apparatus when the first password was received, 
 determine whether the first and second passwords coincide with each other, and 
 initialize itself if the two passwords coincide with each other, 
 
 wherein the first and second system times used to generate the first and second passwords are in a format comprising a day, an hour and a minute. 
 
     
     
       9. The authentication system as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein unique information of the second apparatus is additionally used when the first and second passwords are generated. 
     
     
       10. The authentication system as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the unique information is any one of a Media Access Control (MAC) address or a product serial number of the second apparatus. 
     
     
       11. The authentication system as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the first apparatus is connected to the second apparatus via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection or an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 connection. 
     
     
       12. The authentication system as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the first and second passwords are generated using a Message Digest 5 (MD5) password generation algorithm. 
     
     
       13. The authentication system as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the second apparatus is any one of a Digital Video Recorder (DVR), a data recording device, and a set-top box. 
     
     
       14. An information apparatus configured to:
 receive a first password from an external device connected to the information apparatus, 
 wherein the first password is generated by the external device using a first system time of the information apparatus, 
 generate a second password using a second system time of the information apparatus when the first password was received, and 
 determine whether the first and second passwords coincide with each other, 
 wherein the first and second system times used to generate the first and second passwords are in a format comprising a day, an hour and a minute.